Intravenous feeding apparatus and system

ABSTRACT

Improved intravenous feeding apparatus and system is provided which includes a simple mechanism for producing a readily discernible indication should the flow of intravenous solution into the vein of a patient be interrupted for any reason. The apparatus includes a flipper member which is mounted in a receptacle through which the intravenous solution passes as a series of drops. The flipper is caused to move back and forth about a pivotal axis so long as the solution passes through the receptacle at a predetermined rate, and it stops when the rate increases or decreases from a pre-established value.

United States Patent 1 Gregg INTRAVENOUS FEEDING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM [76] Inventor: David Paul Gregg, Calle Iturbe, 12,

Madrid 2, Spain [22] Filed: May 10, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 141,662

[52] US. Cl. 1. 128/214 E, 73/194 R,73/194 E,

73/228, l28/DIG. 13, 340/239 R [51 Int. Cl A6lm 05/16 [58] Field of Search 128/214 E, 214 F,

l28/2l4.2, 227, DIG. l2, DIG. l3; ZOO/81.9; 340/239 R; 73/194 R, 194 E, 228; 235/92 CP;

-[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 941,053 11/1909 Young 73/228 X 1,090,669 3/1914 Woodington et al. 340/239 R 2,029,633 2/1936 Muhlieisen 73/228 June 19, 1973 2,600,309 6/1952 MacDonald et a1. ZOO/81.9 3,605,741 9/1971 Spencer 128/214 E 3,623,052 11/1971 Spiller 340/239 R 3,648,694 3/1972 Mogos et al 128/214 E Primary Examiner-Dalton L. Truluck Attorney-Jessup & Beecher stops when the rate increases or decreases from a preestablished value.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented June 19, 1973 3,739,777

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (a n/raL/ flak/b 1 40/ 6/19 M u AQZZ Patented June 19, 1973 3,739,777

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAM INTRAVENOUS FEEDING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Intravenous feeding is a technique by which nourishment is introduced directly into the vein of a patient. The usual prior art apparatus for intravenous feeding comprises a bottle of intravenous solution which is inverted over a transparent drip chamber, and it also includes a tube whichextends from the bottom of the drip chamber to a needle which is inserted into the vein of the patient. The solution from the first bottle drips down by the force of gravity through the chamber and tube, then into the patients vein at a controllable rate, the rate being determined by a visual inspection of the dripping.

It is most important, of course, that the flow of intravenous solution continue at the rate desired as long as is desired an in an uninterrupted manner into the patients vein, since the patients life might depend on the continuity of flow. Therefore, if the needle should accidentally be pulled out of the vein, or if the vein should collapse so that no more solution can enter it, or the rate should vary, then such a condition should be immediately indicated to the attending nurse, orderly or doctor. If the needle is pulled out of the vein of the patient, the flow rate through the lower bottle increases, since the fluid flows freely through it and out through the needle. On the other hand, should the vein collapse, the fluid flow from the upper bottle into the drip chamber also ceases, because of a corresponding increase of back pressure which offsets the gravitational force. Intermediate rates of flow conditions between these extremes can occur for many reasons.

Any of the aforesaid conditions is immediately detected by the simple and improved apparatus of the present invention, and a readily perceivable indication is provided for the attendant, should either of the aforesaid conditions occur.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic representation, partially in block form, showing the usual prior art intravenous feeding apparatus, together with a typical prior art detection system;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of intravenous feeding apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 turned, for example, through 90 as viewed along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a pendulum component of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective representations of a receptacle constructed to incorporate a flipper member in accordance with the concepts of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed representation of the flipper member, together with its various support constituents.

PRIOR ART As shown in FIG. 1, a bottle 10 of intravenous feeding solution is supported by means, for example, of a bracket 12 in an inverted manner over a second, or drip chamber 14. The neck of the bottle 10 extends into the neck of the drip chamber 14, and the solution from the bottle 10 passes through a dropper 16 into the drip chamber 14.

The dropper 16 is precisely fabricated so that a predetermined rate of flow of the solution in the bottle 10 proceeds as a series of drops through the drip chamber 14. A tube 18 is coupled to the bottom of the drip chamber 14, and a needle 19 is mounted in the free end of the tube 18. The needle 19 is inserted into the vein of the patient, and intravenous feeding of the patient proceeds in a manner well understood in the art.

In order to detect the passage of the fluid through the drip chamber 14, and to provide an indication should the flow change or cease, a light source 20 is provided in the prior art system, the light source directing a light through the drip chamber 14 to a photoelectric cell 22. The passage of the drops of solution through the drip chamber 14 periodically interrupts the light beam, and the photoelectric cell 22 is thereby caused to generate a corresponding series of electric pulses.

The aforesaid pulses are counted in a counter and differentiator 24 which may have any appropriate known construction. The counter and differentiator 24 provide an output which is determined by the rate of flow of the drops of solution through the drip chamber 14, and an appropriate aural or visual alarm unit 28 is coupled to the output of the counter and differentiator 24. The alarm unit 28 is activated whenever the rate at which the drops pass through the drip chamber 14 departs from a preset rate by a particular amount.

Therefore, so long as the drops continue through the drip chamber 14 at the preset normal rate, the alarm unit 28 is not activated. However, if for any reason, the flow through the control bottle changes, an aural or visual signal, or both, is provided by the alarm unit 28 so as to inform the attendant of that fact, so that appropriate remedial steps may be taken.

Although the prior art apparatus and system shown schematically in FIG. 1 have widespread utility, their use has been somewhat limited because of the fact that it is relatively expensive and dependent on electricity.

By the use of the structure of the present invention, on the other hand, a satisfactory, accurate and readily discernible indication may be provided by simple and expeditious means, so that a positive indication may be provided in all instances in which intravenous feeding is used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT In the practice of the present invention, and as shown particularly in FIGS. 2-6, a flipper member 30 is pivotally supported within the drip chamber 14. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 6, for example, the drip chamber 14 may have a cubical shape, and the flipper member 30 may be supported on a stainless steel or plastic yoke 32 which, in turn, is mounted on the walls of the chamber 14. As shown in FIG. 6, for example, the flipper member 30 has a pin 34 extending across its upper edge, with the ends of the pins extending through apertures in the yoke 32 as needle bearings to be received in bearing members 36 and 38. The members 36 and 38 are threaded or pressed into the ends of the yoke 32 through the walls of the receptacle, with appropriate gaskets 40 and 42, if needed, being interposed between v the members and the respective walls. The members36 and 38 are threaded into the ends of the yoke 32, and

nuts 44 and 46, in turn, are threaded onto the members 36 and 38 so as to form a workable assembly.

An alternate construction of the drip chamber shown in FIG. 58 consists of two halves 75 and 76 of plastic material, such as irradiated polyethylene or other thermoplastic capable of withstanding sterilizing temperatures. Before the two halves 75 and 76 are assembled, the flipper is held in proper position by means of a jig within the upper half 75. Then two dimples 77 and 78 are produced by high temperature and pressure exter nally to maintain the flipper in proper position, as described above, indefinitely. The two halves 75 and 76 are joined by clamping and welding at a high temperature to form a perfect joint.

The flipper member 30 is composed of ferromagnetic or other similar material, such as nickel plated iron. It is magnetically coupled to a pendulum 56 and assumes that angle of rotation about the axis of its shaft 34 which corresponds to the angle of rotation of the pendulum 56 about its own axis 79 at any instant in time. In FIG. 3, the flipper 30 is shown deflected to the right when the pendulum 56 (not shown) is also deflected to the right by the same angle. Then, as the drops of the solution pass through the drip chamber 14, the flipper member 30 is caused to oscillate angularly about its pivotal axis at a rate determined by the rate at which the drops pass through the receptacle. The yoke 32 and its associated members may be composed, for example, of stainless steel or plastic, and the gaskets 40, 42 and nuts 44, 46, may, for example, be composed of vinyl rubber or polyethylene. The flipper assembly and receptacle 14, and the alternate receptacle assembly of 75 and 76, may be easily sterilized, and a feature of the invention is that no external member need touch any part of the flipper assembly, so that sterilization may be maintained.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example, the drip chamber 14 or the alternate composed of 76 and 77 is supported in a support pan 50 which, in turn, is mounted within the bottom of a supporting frame 12. A bracket 54 is secured to the support pan 50, the bracket 54 having a C-shaped configuration with an axis 79 near the upper end in essentially coaxial relationship with the shaft 34 when the drip chamber 14, or the assembly 76-77, is supported in the pan 50. The pendulum 56 is suspended in the upper end of the bracket 54 by means, for example, of a pin 79, and the pendulum is free to swing back and forth about the axis of the pin 79.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the pendulum 56 may have assembled to its edge closest to the flipper 30 an elongated permanent magnet 80. A slider 58 may be moved up and down on the pendulum, with respect to a calibrated scale, and the slider may be set in any position by tightening a set screw 60 or by a friction applying spring. Once set into motion, as the flipper member 30 is moved back and forth by the drops of fluid passing through the drip chamber 14, or 76-77, it also causes the pendulum 56 to swing back and forth with it, by virtue of the magnetic coupling between the pendulum magnet 80 and the flipper.

However, unless the natural period of the pendulum, as determined principally by the position of the slider 56, corresponds to the rate at which the flipper 30 is being moved by the kinetic energy given up by the drops of fluid, the pendulum will decelerate and stop, causing the flipper member 30 also to stop. The slider 58 may thus be set to provide a period for the pendulum corresponding to a predetermined rate of oscillation of the flipper 30. So long as that rate is maintained, the pendulum and the flipper will continue to swing as long as there is liquid in the bottle 10. However, if for any reason the rate of fluid flow through the drip chamber 14 changes from the predetermined value, the pendulum will stop. The pendulum and flipper combination may be activated by a clock movement, if so desired, to increase the sensitivity of the unit.

A disc may be provided on top of the pendulum, in position to be visually observed by the attendant, so that whenever the disc stops moving, the attendant will immediately become aware of that fact. The disc 70 may be movable in the field of radio frequency oscillator 72 to control the frequency of the signal generated by the oscillator. The signal from the oscillator is transmitted to a receiver 74 which responds to frequency variations representative of the disc stopping to activate an appropriate aural or visual alarm.

The combination of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 represents a simple and convenient combination which may be enclosed completely in the control bottle, and which may be sterilized along with the control bottle. The overall system and apparatus of the invention is simple and inexpensive, and it provides a reliable and accurate means for monitoring the flow of fluid into the vein of a patient, and for providing an appropriate indication should ever the flow be altered or terminated.

What is claimed is:

1. An intravenous feeding apparatus including: a source of intravenous fluid; a rate of flow measuring means including a receptacle through which the intravenous solution from the source passes as a series of drops, a support for said receptacle, a flipper member pivotally mounted within said receptacle in position to be contacted by the aforesaid drops and to oscillate angularly about a pivotal axis at a rate determined by the rate at which said drops pass through said receptacle, a pendulum mounted on said support and magnetically coupled to said flipper so that pivotal movement of said flipper produces corresponding pivotal movement of said pendulum, conduit means interconnecting said source to said receptacle; and further conduit means connected to said receptacle for carrying the intravenous solution from said receptacle to a patient.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes an adjustable slider on said pendulum for establishing the rate at which the pendulum will respond to pivotal oscillations of the flipper member.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said pendulum comprises an elongated permanent magnet, and said flipper member is composed of magnetizable material.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes photoelectric means optically coupled to said pendulum for producing a control effect when the pendulum is at rest.

# t t I 

1. An intravenous feeding apparatus including: a source of intravenous fluid; a rate of flow measuring means including a receptacle through which the intravenous solution from the source passes as a series of drops, a support for said receptacle, a flipper member pivotally mounted within said receptacle in position to be contacted by the aforesaid drops and to oscillate angularly about a pivotal axis at a rate determined by the rate at which said drops pass through said receptacle, a pendulum mounted on said support and magnetically coupled to said flipper so that pivotal movement of said flipper produces corresponding pivotal movement of said pendulum, conduit means interconnecting said source to said receptacle; and further conduit means connected to said receptacle for carrying the intravenous solution from said receptacle to a patient.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes an adjustable slider on said pendulum for establishing the rate at which the pendulum will respond to pivotal oscillations of the flipper member.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said pendulum comprises an elongated permanent magnet, and said flipper member is composed of magnetizable material.
 4. The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes photoelectric means optically coupled to said pendulum for producing a control effect when the pendulum is at rest. 